The human digestive tract is an ecosystem unto itself, containing a complex diversity of beneficial and harmful bacteria, with over 400 different bacteria species being found in the intestine alone. This diverse intestinal microflora plays a substantial role in regulating intestinal barrier defense mechanism, and effectively comprises approximately 80% of our immune system. Ongoing research continues to support the theory that appropriate microbial balance in the intestine greatly enhances the general health and immune system of a person or animal when compared to another individual lacking such a balance.
As noted above, a healthy population of beneficial, mutualistic, and/or commensal microorganisms in the digestive tract play a substantial role in maintaining the health and welfare of the host organism. Such microorganisms create benefits to their hosts in many ways: through competition with pathogenic microorganisms, aiding in the digestion and absorption of food, helping with vitamin synthesis, and regulating immune responses. Therefore, healthy individuals often display a robust collection of beneficial microorganisms in their digestive systems, which aid them in maintaining a disease free state, and further contribute to the overall well-being of the individual.
However, over the ordinary course of a lifetime, disruptive events can lead to an imbalance in the ecology of the digestive tract, leading to a non-ideal balance of diversity and populations of beneficial microorganisms therein. Such disruptive events include illnesses caused by exposure to viruses or pathogenic microorganisms; exposure to certain pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics; exposure to high levels of mental, physical, or emotional stress, including surgical complications or excessive travel; and improper nutrition or malnutrition. In addition, studies have shown that as individuals age, the stability of the delicate balance of intestinal flora declines, which can lead to an unhealthy imbalance in the digestive tract that may weaken the immune system and/or give rise to the possibility of infection, autoimmune dysfunction, and several surprising downstream biological system problems.
Thus, a healthy, balanced digestive tract flora is important to ensure that an individual maintains a state of health. Further, it has been shown that the use of transitory microorganisms, or microorganisms that are not commonly found in the digestive tract, but may be introduced for short periods of time, can help restore a balance of beneficial flora in otherwise healthy individuals, can combat pathogenic microorganisms and viruses, and can cause surprising positive effects in a host. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,696,057, incorporated by reference herein, discusses the successful use of a probiotic composition comprising two microorganisms that has been shown to reduce hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol); combat autoimmune diseases; alleviate Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and diarrhea; reduce the symptoms of Crohn's disease; and treat ulcerative colitis. When compared to traditional treatments, the use of such probiotic compositions were far less expensive, showed fewer side effects in the individuals tested, and showed the positive side effect of reducing inflammatory response in the digestive tract, which may aid in a reduction of the risk of colorectal cancer or other diseases.
While the composition disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,696,057 and comprising Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii, ssp. bulgaricus (also referred to as “Lactobacillus bulgaricus”) has been shown to be effective, finding and maintaining ideal culture conditions to maximize production of these two different species in a consumable media can be difficult. In addition, it would be greatly appreciated if a single species or strain of a species could be identified that displays the same or similar host biological response and effectiveness in treating the aforementioned illnesses, as well as boosting immune system response. Further, an organism or strain that would produce the target pH and target number of culture forming units in less time than Streptococcus thermophilus and/or Lactobacillus bulgaricus, would be greatly appreciated in the art.